LEWISTOWN — Beneath the glittering lights and sweeping glass atriums of the Gaylord National Resort in Washington, D.C., three Mifflin County High School seniors stepped into a world of high fashion, high stakes and national-level competition.

By the time the Technology Student Association National Conference wrapped on June 26, the Fashion Design and Technology team had secured a top-12 finish, adding another chapter to one of the program’s most impressive runs.

The team — Emily Banks, Oak Yeater and Anna Krohn — arrived in the nation’s capital with a garment that had already turned heads at the Pennsylvania TSA State Conference. At nationals, their work joined more than 100 entries from across the country.

After preliminary judging, Mifflin County was called back as one of 12 teams for the interview round that determined final placement, a moment that underscored just how far their design had carried them.

“This is a major accomplishment, and we are so very proud of them,” said technology education teacher and TSA advisor Rebecca ConnerMiller. “What they have accomplished will go down in Mifflin County TSA history.”

A villain built for the runway

This year’s theme — the villain era — gave the team a chance to lean into theatricality and elegance. Their character, the Duchess of Diamonds, became the creative engine behind the garment. Banks described the piece as a fusion of red and black pleather knit with black floral lace, a combination that created a silhouette both sharp and alluring.

“The motif of the diamond was cut out of much of the garment using a laser engraver to represent key moments to the storyline,” Banks said. “Overall the garment provides a chic, new age villain who basks in beauty with a cutthroat edge.”

Banks also took on the challenge of sewing the entire garment herself, a first for her. “Through this process I refined my sewing skills,” she said. “It allowed us to place second at the state level and advance to nationals.”

The back of the garment featured a coffin design, a symbolic flourish that demanded some of the most intricate patterning of the entire piece. It became one of the garment’s signature elements, a detail that helped define the Duchess’s story.

Precision, polish and a national stage

Yeater, who has been part of the Fashion Design team all three years, focused on the digital and structural elements that gave the garment its sculptural presence. Because the design remained consistent from states, the team did not need to revise their digital illustrations. Instead, Yeater concentrated on refining the 3D components.

“For the garment, I did create new 3D modelled chainmail and diamonds for the shoulders,” Yeater said. “The ones I previously printed were too small for our liking.”

At nationals, Yeater also served as a voting delegate, a role that placed her inside one of TSA’s most important traditions. “It was a very interesting experience,” she said. “We are happy to announce that Natalie Branstetter, a PA-TSA member, will be the National Secretary for the 2026-27 school year.”

Outside competition, Yeater immersed herself in the culture of pin trading, a lively ritual that fills hallways and conference spaces throughout the week.

“There are always pins that are very sought after,” Yeater said, noting the popularity of the 250th Birthday of America pin, the Colorado and North Carolina state pins, the PA Teams Hershey bar pin and pins from chapters in Korea, Germany and Turkey.

The team also reconnected with Christian and Dahmir, two Hershey students they met at the state conference. “They are both very nice individuals,” Yeater said. “I hope that I will be able to continue to be in touch with them in the future.”

A legacy of excellence

Banks and Yeater have been part of the Fashion Design team for all three years of its national run. Krohn joined the team this year, helping continue the tradition of high-level performance. Their work reflects months of research, design, construction and documentation, all culminating in a garment that could hold its own on a national stage.

“They approach their work with real professionalism,” ConnerMiller said. “They revise thoughtfully, communicate clearly and support one another through the entire process.”

The team’s top 12 finish capped a season that saw strong results across the entire TSA program, including high placements in Music Production, Board Game Design, Technology Bowl and Pin Design.

Looking ahead

All three Fashion Design team members graduated this spring, closing out a run that reshaped expectations for what Mifflin County TSA can achieve. Banks served as TSA vice president her junior year and president this year, roles she said helped her grow into a confident leader.

“In these roles and through the interview processes I have found how to be a respectable leader,” Banks said. “I am proud of the person I have become due to my experience in TSA.”

ConnerMiller expressed gratitude for the sponsors, supporters and community members who helped make the team’s achievements possible.

“Community support means the world to us,” she said. “They represented their school extremely well.”